Brick-press



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

R. N. ROSS.

BRICK PRESS. No. 266,532. Patented Oct. 24, 1882.

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2 sheets-sheet 2;

(No Model.)

R. N. ROSS.

BRICK PRESS.

PatentedOet. 24, 1882.v

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NITnD STATES ROBERT N. ROSS, OF S'I. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BRICK- PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,532, dated October24, 1889.

Application filed January 10, 1882. (No model.)

T o 'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT N. ROSS, ofthe city of St. Louis, in theState ot Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inBrick-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart ot' this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l isa side elevation of my improved machine.Fig. 2 is a plan, with part ofthe top ofthe mold-cylinder broken away toshow one pair ot' molds. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3,Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is atop view ot' a pair of molds. Fig. 6 is a bottom view ot' one ot' themolds, showing the movable bottom in place. Fig. 7 is a detail view,showing the manner of securing the revolving mold-cylinder to thebed-plate ofthe machine. Figs. S and 9 are detail views, showing theadjustable friction-rollers which form the vertical support ot' themold-cylinder. Fig. l() is a detail view, showing the stop for engagingwith thcbottom ot' the mold-cylinder, as hereinafter described. Fig. llis a side elevation of one of the plungers for removing the bricks fromthe molds.

A represents the frame, supported ou snitable legs, a. I prefer castingthe frame in two pieces, with lugs a for securing them together by boltsa2.

B is the bed-plate ot' the machine, upon which rests the mold-cylinderO. rlhe cylinder does not rest directly on the bed-plate, but issupported by friction-rollers D, which havejournal-bearingin movableboxes d, working in stirrups d', secured to the under side of thebed-plate. (See Figs. 8 and 9.) '.lhe boxes are adjusted by means ofset-screws d2 screwing through the bottoms ofthe stirrups. They arethree in number. The advantage ot' these friction-rollers is that theyreduce the friction and at the same time protect the bed-plate andcylinder from wear by the contact of their surfaces. They are madeadjustable, so that their relative heights may be changed as desired.The cylinder O is cast with three openings for the reception of themolds E. The molds are made in pairs, (see Fig. 5,) with a marginalange, e, at top. The upper tace ofthe cylinder is rabbeted around theopenings (see Fig.

4) to receive the lianges of the molds, and thus the molds arevertically supported. The openings in the cylinder are somewhat largerthan the molds, so that a space is left between them to be. filled witha suitable packing, so that the molds are held firmly in place. As apacking I prefer to use sulphur, as it will not shrink in cooling, andshould it be desired to remove the molds it can be easily taken out bymelting. rIoholdtheinoldsin place beforelhe packing is put in,set-screws c are employed, (see Fig. 4,) which screw through the shellot' the cylinder that surrounds the mold-openings. rIhe cylinder issecured to the bed-plate by a bolt, E', extending upward through thecenter ofthe bedplate and through the ccnter ofthe cylinder. Around thisbolt the cylinder revolves.

F F are the movable bottoms ot' the molds. They consist ot' a top, f,and a body,f. The body is cast hollow, with cross-ribs f2. (See bottomview, Fig. 6) rIhe top j' tits snugly the inside ot' the mold. lnigsf3on the inside lower portion ofthe molds limit the downward movementot'the bottoms. It will be seen that the bottoms do not come in contactwith the bed-plate.

When it is desired to make thin bricks Iremove the bottoms F and insertothers having thicker topsj', as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4. Thebodies ofthe bottoms have guideribs f4. (See Fig. 6.)

The clay is conveyed to the molds by ahopper, G, supported by a bracket,H, secured to the frame A. The molds are brought 1n turn beneath thehopper by turning the cylinder C. The molds are so located in thecylinder that while the clay is being tilled into one pair the bricksare being pressed in the next pair to the right, and removed from theother pair, as hereinafter described.

lTo insure the stoppage of the cylinder' when the molds are exactlybeneath the hopper, and in the proper position for the pressing andremoving plnngers, I provide a sprmgstop. The

stop consists ot' a pin, I, on a spring-plate, z', secured by one end tothe bottom ot' the bedplate. The piu extends up through a hole in thebed-plate, and engages with holes in the bottom ot' the cylinder O.

J is a treadle connected to the free end of IOO the spring-platea' byaconnecting rod or chain,| by a block, R', connected to the sliding beamj. (See Fig. l.) Whenthe cylinder is to be turned the treadle is presseddown, which draws the pin I outof engagement with the cylinder, whichallows the cylinder to be turned. As soon as the cylinder is slightlyturned, so that the pin I will not enter the same hole, the pressure isremoved from the treadle, and the spring will keep the pin I in contactwith the bottom ot' the cylinder until the next hole comes around, whichis when the next pair of molds come beneath the hopper, and then the.pin will enter the hole under the influence of the spring and lock thecylinder from revolving farther until the treadle'is again pressed down.f

The pressing of the bricks is as follows:

K is a shatt having journal-bearing in suitable boxes secured totheframe A. 0n the shaft are eccentrics L L and M M, rigidly secured to theshaft. The eccentrics L L are connected to the lower plungers, N N, bymeans of coupling-links O O, whose lower ends have eyes fitting theeccentrics, and the upper ends eyes fitting the outward-extending pinson the lower portion of the plnngers. Similar links, P P, to those O 0fit the eccentrics M M, and are connected to the links Q Q on the outerends, fr, of the sliding beam R by connectingrods S S. The ends r of thesliding beam work in slots r in the frame A.

T T are the upper plun gers, rigidly secured to the beam R. The salientparts of the eccentrics M are at right angles to the salient part of theeceentrics L. Thus it will be seen that when the shaft K is turned bymeans of the lever U the plungers will move toward each other, and thuspress the bricks from above and beneath, the lower plungers coming incontact with the bottoms F.

The rods S are connected to the links by right and left screw-threads,so that by turning them the relative position of the plungers v can bechanged to press the bricks more or less. The lower plungers are castwith a connecting-web, n, which has a dovetail connecting with cleatsn', secured to cross-bars n2 of the frame A. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) Theplungers are thus guided and held from lateral movement.Theupperplungersaresimilarlyguided R, and having dovetail connectionwith cleats r2, secured to cross-bars r3 of the frame A.

u is a stop (see Figs. l and 2) for the outer end of the lever U, tolimit its downward movement.

The bricks are removed from the molds by the plungers V V, operated bymeans of an eccentric, l/V, on the counter-shaft X, which has bearing insuitable boxes, fr, secured to the frame a?, which projects inward fromthe frame A. On the shaft X is a'bevel-wheel, Y, engaged by a segment,Z, on the shaft K. The connection between the eccentricW and plungers Vis by a link, V', similar to those O and I. (See Fig. 11.) The plungersV are guided by a dovetail connection with the frame a3. (See. Figs. 3and 11.) It will he seen that when the lever is operated4 to press thebricks it will also operate the plungers V and remove the bricks fromthe pair of molds over the plungers. ItisnecessarythattheplungersVshouldhave twice the movement of those N and T, so that the bricks will beremoved completely out of the molds. To accomplish this I make thediameter of the segment Z twice that of the bevel-wheel Y.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a brick-press, the mold-cylinder C, supported on friction-rollersD, adjustably secured to the bed-plate B, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination with cylinder C and molds E, the set-screws e', as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of shaft K, eccentrics L L M M, mounted thereon,lower plungers, N N, links O 0,1? P, and Q Q, beam R, upper plungers, TT, adjustable connecting-rods S S, andl suitable molds, E E, as setforth.

4.. The removing-plungers V, connected to the shaft X by eccentric W andlink V', the

frame a3, bevel-wheel V, and segment Z, all

substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

ROBT. N. ROSS.

Witnesses: SAML. KNIGHT, GEO. H. KNIGHT.

